✔️Call Delegation

Learn how to set up and use call delegation to have an assistant or colleague make and receive calls on your behalf, streamlining executive support and improving call coverage.

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⏱️ Estimated Time: 15 minutes

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👤 Who's This For

Executives, managers, and team members who need assistants to handle their calls, plus assistants who manage calls for others.

💼 Use Case

Perfect for executive-assistant relationships, shared phone coverage, team collaboration, and ensuring important calls are never missed. Enables assistants to screen calls, make calls on behalf of executives, and seamlessly transfer calls when needed.

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✅ Prerequisites

• Active Zoom Phone license for both delegator and delegate

• Admin may need to enable delegation for your account

• Access to Zoom web portal for initial setup

• Zoom desktop or mobile app (version 5.16.2+ for advanced features)

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Understanding Call Delegation

Call delegation (also known as shared line appearance) provides an easy way for phone users to assign delegates who can make and receive calls on their behalf .

Key terminology:

• Delegator: The person whose calls are being managed (typically an executive)

• Delegate: The person managing calls (typically an assistant)

• Shared Line: The delegator's phone line that appears on the delegate's device

What delegation enables:

• Delegates answer calls to the delegator's number

• Delegates make outbound calls using the delegator's caller ID

• Seamless call transfers between delegator and delegate

• Shared call history and visibility

• Multiple delegates per delegator

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Setting Up Call Delegation

For Delegators (Setting Up Your Assistant)

Note: Your admin may set this up for you, or you can do it yourself if you have permission.

1

Access Settings

• Sign in to zoom.us web portal

• Click Phone in the navigation

• Click Settings tab

2

Add a Delegate

• Scroll to Delegation & Assistant section

• Click Set or Add (if adding additional delegates)

3

Assign Your Delegate

• Click dropdown: User or Common Area

• Search for and select your delegate

• Click Invite

4

Configure Privileges

• Select which permissions your delegate has:

  • ☑ Place Calls: Delegate can make calls using your numbers

  • ☑ Answer Calls: Delegate receives calls to your numbers

  • ☑ Join and Merge Calls: Both can join the same call

  • ☑ Opt In/Out: Delegate can toggle on/off receiving your calls

  • ☑ Pick Up Hold Calls: Delegate can pick up calls you've placed on hold

  • ☑ Set Business Hours: Delegate's hours override yours (they won't get your calls outside their hours)

  • ☑ Manage VIP Contacts: Delegate can manage your VIP contact list

5

Privacy Settings (Optional)

• ☑ Provide call locking: Prevent delegates from picking up certain calls

• ☑ Play a chime: Hear a notification when delegate joins/exits calls

6

Save Configuration

• Click Save

• Delegate receives notification to accept

🎮 Click-Through Demo

▶️ Watch: Setting Up and Using Call Delegation See how delegators and delegates configure settings and manage shared calls.

For Delegates (Accepting the Request)

1

Check for Invitation

• Sign in to zoom.us web portal

• Go to Phone → Settings

2

Accept Delegation

• In Assistant for section, you'll see pending requests

• Click Accept to accept delegation responsibilities

• View privileges granted to you

3

Configure Opt In/Out (If Enabled)

• Click View or Edit under "Receive calls for delegators"

• Toggle on/off for each delegator you support

• Useful when you're unavailable or on vacation

🎮 Click-Through Demo

▶️ Watch: Setting Up and Using Call Delegation See how delegators and delegates configure settings and manage shared calls.

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Using Call Delegation

Making Calls as a Delegate

Desktop App:

1

Access Shared Lines

• Click Phone tab

• Click Lines tab to see your shared lines

2

Select Caller ID

• Click the phone icon next to the delegator's name

• Or dial normally and choose delegator's number from caller ID dropdown

3

Make the Call

• Enter the number or select a contact

• Call displays delegator's caller ID to recipient

Mobile App:

1

Open Phone

• Tap Phone tab

• Tap Lines to view shared lines

2

Select Line

• Tap the delegator's shared line

• Dial the number

3

Place Call

• Call shows delegator's number as caller ID

Answering Calls as a Delegate

When calls come to the delegator's number, both delegator and delegate receive notifications (if Answer Calls privilege is enabled).

Call notification shows:

• Caller's name and number

• Which shared line is ringing (delegator's name)

• Options: Answer, Decline, or Send to Voicemail

To answer:

• Click/tap Accept

• Call connects through the shared line

• You can transfer to delegator anytime

Transferring Calls Between Delegator and Delegate

Using Hold Transfer:

1

Delegate Answers Call

• Receive call on shared line

• Speak with caller

2

Place on Hold

• Click/tap Hold in call controls

• Inform delegator: "Call on Line 2 for you"

3

Delegator Picks Up

• Delegator opens Lines tab

• Sees call on hold (with hold icon)

• Clicks/taps phone icon to answer

• Call transfers seamlessly

Transfer back the same way:

• Delegator places call on hold

• Delegate picks up from Lines tab

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Advanced Features

VIP Delegation

You can choose who can call you directly by setting up a VIP contact group and allowing only this set list of users to contact you directly .

How it works:

• VIP contacts ring your phone directly

• All other calls route to your delegate(s) first

• Delegate screens and transfers as needed

Setup:

1. In Phone Settings, enable VIP Delegation toggle

2. Under VIP Contacts, select your VIP group

3. Under Everybody Else, set delegation sequence

4. Manage VIP list in Contacts tab

Call Locking (Privacy Mode)

If enabled, delegators can lock calls to prevent delegates from joining or picking them up.

When to use:

• Confidential conversations

• Personal calls during work hours

• Private discussions

How to lock:

• During a call, enable privacy/lock mode

• Delegates cannot join or pick up this call

Business Hours Override

Allow delegates' business hours to override your business hours—delegates won't receive calls outside their own business hours .

Example scenario:

• Your hours: 8am-8pm

• Delegate's hours: 8am-5pm

• After 5pm, calls route to you or voicemail (not delegate)

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Viewing Shared Line Activity

Call History

Both delegator and delegate see all calls on shared lines with labels:

Delegator sees:

• "Outgoing by [Delegate Name] for you"

• "Answered by [Delegate Name] for you"

• Your own calls have no label

Delegate sees:

• "Outgoing by [Delegator Name]"

• "Outgoing by you for [Delegator Name]"

• "Answered by [Delegator Name]"

• "Answered by you for [Delegator Name]"

Note: Deleting a call history entry only deletes it for you, not the other person.

Call Recordings

Call recordings work differently than call history:

• Only the person who recorded the call can access it

• If delegator records, only delegator sees the recording

• If delegate records, only delegate sees the recording

• Both see the call history entry, but not each other's recordings

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Managing Multiple Delegates

Delegators can assign multiple delegates with different privileges.

Common setup:

• Primary Assistant: Full privileges (answer, place, transfer calls)

• Backup Assistant: Answer calls only (when primary is unavailable)

• Team Member: Pick up hold calls only (for specific transfers)

Delegation sequence:

• Set order of delegation: calls ring primary first, then backup

• Configure under "Everybody Else" routing in VIP Delegation settings

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💡 Pro Tips

See Details

Start with limited privileges Grant only necessary permissions initially. Add more as you and your delegate get comfortable with the workflow.

Use VIP delegation strategically Route close colleagues and VIPs directly to you while having delegates screen everything else—saves time on both ends.

Leverage business hours override Don't burden delegates with after-hours calls. Let their schedule protect their time while maintaining your availability.

Communicate call transfer protocol Establish clear signals between delegator and delegate: "Line 2 for you" or similar shorthand makes transfers smooth.

Use opt in/out for vacation coverage Delegates can opt out when on vacation, automatically routing calls to other delegates or voicemail.

Check Lines tab regularly Both parties should monitor the Lines tab to see active and held calls on shared lines.

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⚠️ Common Issues

See Details

Delegate not receiving call notifications? → Verify "Answer Calls" privilege is enabled and delegate accepted the delegation request. Check that delegate is signed into Zoom.

Can't make calls using delegator's caller ID? → Ensure "Place Calls" privilege is enabled. Select the correct shared line before dialing.

Delegator can't pick up held calls from delegate? → Verify "Pick Up Hold Calls" privilege is enabled for the delegate. Check Lines tab to see if call is actually on hold.

Delegation request shows "Pending" indefinitely? → Delegate needs to accept the request in their Phone Settings. Admin can force-accept if needed.

Delegate receiving calls outside their business hours? → Enable "Set Business Hours" privilege to respect delegate's hours. This automatically opts them out after hours.

Cannot enable Join Calls option? → This setting requires admin enablement and may conflict with call monitoring. Contact your admin.

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🎯 What's Next

✨ Call delegation is now configured! You can:

• Assign delegates to manage your calls

• Accept delegation requests to support others

• Make and receive calls using shared lines

• Transfer calls seamlessly between delegator and delegate

• Control who reaches you directly with VIP delegation

• Monitor shared line activity in call history